Adjustable center bar for artist&#39;s easel



Nov. 10, 1959 R. L. TOWNSEND ADJUSTABLE CENTER BAR FOR ARTIST'S EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1955 Fig. 2

Richard L. Townsend FINVENTOR.

BY mg,

R. L. TOWNSEND ADJUSTABLE CENTER BAR FOR ARTIST'S EASEL Nov. 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec 12, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

Ric/19rd L. Townsend United States Patent ADJUSTABLE CENTER BAR FOR ARTISTS EASEL Richard L. Townsend, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Application December 12, 1955, Serial No. 552,3'17

8 Claims. (Cl. 248195) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an adjustable center bar for artists easels and more specifically relates to improved adjusting means for accommodating canvases or pictures of different sizes and for selectively positioning the same in different vertical adjusted positions upon the easel.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an adjustable easel construction which can be used in rooms with low ceilings, while working in a standing position, and which is adjustable to accommodate either a small or large picture.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved easel construction which will afford the 'max imum adjustability for accommodating different sizes of canvases and pictures and for positioning the same at diiferent vertical positions, either for display or for use by the artist.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extension bar having novel means for adjustably securing the same upon the support standard of an easel, together with retaining means upon the extension bar for supporting and retaining thereon a picture, canvas or the like; and whereby the latter may be vertically adjusted to suit the convenience of the easel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction in accordance with the foregoing objects wherein the extension bar may be readily adjusted to accommodate diiferent sizes of pictures or canvases.

Further and subordinate objects of the invention are to provide an adjustable mounting for easels which may be readily applied as an attachment to conventional types of easels and whereby the easel shall be capable of adjustment to accommodate different sizes of canvas or pictures, and capable of adjustment for positioning the same at various selected vertical positions.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide an easel construction in accordance with the preceding objects having improved means for adjusting the height of the extension bar of the easel; improved means for adjusting the position of picture retainers on the center bar; and improved means for securing the retainers to the center bar and the center bar to the support standard of the easel. A

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view showing a conventional type of easel construction to which the extension bar in accordance with this invention has been applied, an alternative position of the parts and the manner in which a picture or canvas is secured to the device being shown in dotted lines therein:

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the device in accordance with Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical central sectional view taken subice 2 stantially upon the plane indicated by section line 33 of Figure 2;

v Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure 3 and upon an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken in vertical section and showing the latch means by which the center bar is secured in a vertically adjusted position upon the support standard of the easel;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the novel extension bar forming an essential feature of this invention; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing the lower picture or canvas retainer and the retaining means by which it is mounted on the extension bar.

The primary intent of the present invention is to provide an adjustable attachment for artists easels which can be readily adjusted to accommodate small and large pictures either for display or for painting and in either a standing or sitting position.

In the accompanying drawings, a conventional form of artists easel is indicated generally by the numeral lfi and the same includes a vertically extending support standard 12 having a smooth, flat foot surface together with laterally extending support legs 14, to the mid-point of which is hingedly attached a rearwardly extending brace 16, thus providing a triangular support for the standard 12. A releasable brace rod 18 is hinged as at 20 to the outward end of the brace leg 16, and its upper end is hinged to a slide 22 having vertical slide flanges 23 engaged in the longitudinal channels 25 in the sides of the standard 12, a wing bolt 27 being provided whereby the support standard may be assembled in an erect, slightly rearwardly andadjustably inclined position as will be apparent from Figure 3.

The support standard 12 is provided with a toothed rack 24, and use is made of this for the purposes of the present invention.

Referring primarily to Figure 4, it will be seen that the opposite vertical side edges of the standard 12 are provided with a pair of guide channels 26 which may be a part of the'conventional easel structure, or may be provided therein in accordance with the present invention.

An extension bar, indicated generally by the numeral 28 is provided, and forms an essential feature of this invention, the same constituting either an attachment which may be associated with conventional easels, or which may constitute a part of a novel easel construction. In either event, the extension bar includes a flat plate-like portion 30 constituting a base together with a second flat plate-like portion 32 which is integrally or rigidly con-' nected to the portion 30 as by a longitudinally extending medial rib 34, to thus provide upon the opposite side edges standard 12. Securing means are provided for retaining the extension bar upon the standard for Vertically sliding movement thereon. This securing means may conveniently comprise flanged brackets 40 which are attached as by screws 42 to the rear surface of the portion 36 of the extension bar and which are slidably received in the channels 26. As shown in Figure 2, upper and lower sets of these securing means may be provided as desired.

In order to selectively secure the extension bar in vertically adjusted position upon the standard, there is provided at the lower end of the extension bar a transversely disposed cleat 44 to which is secured alatch housing 46 having a latch pin 48 slidably received therein, a compression spring 50 being provided to yieldingly urge the latch pin into engagement with the rack teeth 24.

Retainers are provided whereby a canvas, picture or the like indicated generally by the numeral 52 may be mounted upon the extension bar. For this purpose there are provided upper and lower retainers designated generally by the numerals 54 and 56; The upper retainer consists of a flat plate-like base 60 having a parallel laterally extending retaining flange 62 secured thereto as by a web 63. The downturned flange 62 is adapted to embrace the upper edge of a picture or canvas 52 as will be best apparent from Figures 1 and 3. Upon its back surface, and its adjacent side edges, the retainer 54 has a pa r of vertically extending slides or brackets 64, see Figure 4, which are slidably received and retained in the previously mentioned grooves 36 in the extension bar. In this manner the upper retainer is secured to the extension bar for vertical sliding movement thereon. A wing bolt 66 is provided which extends through the portion of the upper retainer and engages the front surface of the portion 32 of the extension bar to cooperate with the slides or brackets 6-4 for clamping the upper retainer in vertically adjusted position upon the extension bar.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 3 and 7, it will be seen that the lower retainer 56 consists of a transversely extending channel member 70 which is adapted to receive and sup; the lower edge of a picture or canvas, and

which is y secured to slides or brackets 72. The latter ir"- es vertically extending, parallel inturned flanges 'ch are slidably received in the previously mentioned guiding grooves 36 of the extension bar whereby the lower retainer is slidably secured to the extension bar.

Securing or fastening means are provided whereby the lower retainer 56 may be vertically adjustably fastened to the extension bar. For that purpose, the lower portion of the extension bar is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apertures '76 and a latch pin assembly 78, which may be of the same construction as the latch pin 43 disclosed in Figure 5, is attached thereto.

from the foregoing it will be seen that a canvas, picture or other object, may be readily mounted upon the extension bar by virtue of the adjustment of either the upper or lower retainers thereon; and the extension bar may also be vertically adjusted upon the standard to position the article held by the easel at a desired elevation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous mod ifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In an easel, a stand including a base comprising a cross member, a brace leg hinged to said cross member at the midportion of the latter for vertical swinging movement and perpendicular thereto and a single, vertically elongated support standard rising from the midportion of said cross member and having a fiat front surface and guide channels extending longitudinally upon its side edges, an extension bar having a rear surface of greater width than its front surface, slides on said extension bar embracing said standard and slidably retained in said channels for mounting the bar extension with its rear surface upon the standard for vertical sliding movement upon said front surface, means at the lower end of the extension bar for securing the latter in vertically adjusted position upon the standard, upper and lower retainers on said extension bar for securing a canvas thereto, said base including a brace rod hinged to the outer end of said brace leg, a slide hinged to the upper end of said brace rod and having flanges slidably retained in said channels, means for locking said slide in vertically adjusted position upon.

said support standard.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension bar has upon the face thereof which is remote fro-m said standard a plurality of apertures spaced vertically thereof, means cooperating with said apertures for selectively securing one of said retainers in vertically adjusted position upon said extension bar.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension bar has said flat rear surface slidable upon said front surface, said securing means including a rack carried by said front surface of said standard and a latch carried by said extension bar and cooperating with said rack.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension" bar has said fiat rear surface slidable upon said front surface, said securing means including a rack carried by said front surface of said standard and a latch carried by said extension bar and cooperating with said rack, said ex-' tension bar having guide grooves between said front and rear surfaces, said retainers including slides having flanges slidably retained in said grooves, transversely extending channels on said slides.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension bar has said fiat rear surface slidable upon said front surface, said securing means including a rack carried by said front surface of said standard and a latch carried by said extension bar and cooperating with said rack, said extension bar having guide grooves between said front and rear surfaces, said retainers including slides having flanges slidably retained in said grooves, transversely extending channels on said slides, means for selectively securing each of said slides in vertically adjusted position upon the extension bar.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extension bar has said fiat rear surface slidable upon said front surface, said securing means including a rack carried by said front surface of said standard and a latch carried by said extension bar and cooperating with said rack, said extension bar having guide grooves between said front and rear surfaces, said retainers including slides having flanges slidably retained in said grooves, transversely extending channels on said slides, means for selectively securing each of said slides in vertically adjusted position upon the extension bar, one of said last mentioned securing means comprising apertures in said extension bar and a latch pin mounted on one of the retainers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 396,362 Marks Jan. 15,1889 544,083 Beyer Aug. 6, 1895 576,803 Bernstein Feb. 9, 1897 852,710 Fletcher May 7, 1907 1,238,594 Stressing Aug. 28, 1917 2,032,872 Frederichs Mar. 3, 1936 2,059,525 Huelsdonk Nov. 3, 1936' FOREIGN PATENTS 13,500 Great Britain May 11, 1895 

